After reading this article it doesn't make me believe the falcon's plan on passing the ball that much but continue trying to bash teams in with there running game.I hope I am wrong but the falcon's may have to learn the hard way.

Vick: 'I'm a team guy' By STEVE WYCHE The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 10/27/05

FLOWERY BRANCH â€” Falcons quarterback Michael Vick said Wednesday he is one of the NFL's top players and one of the most recognizable figures in all of sports and could use his celebrity to his advantage on and off the field. However, he said it is his nature to lay relatively low and have his teammates view him as one of them.

"Everybody knows I've got great talents and gifts and can do things 90 percent of the guys in the league can't do," Vick said. "I don't feel like I've got to do things differently, show off my status, my power. I can do it, but it's no need. Only if a line is crossed or if there's a need for me to act a certain way would I approach the situation differently. It's pretty much the way I've been since Virginia Tech and since I've been here. I'm a team guy, I understand the concept of winning and what it takes to win."

Vick said he's not having the kind of year he envisioned for himself thus far, but his coaches say they're not worried.

Coach Jim Mora said Vick's team-first approach is why teammates would rather do what they can to bail him out when he struggles, like he did in Monday night's 27-14 victory over the New York Jets, than harbor resentment or become exasperated for not always playing up to his $130 million contract.

"It goes back to his demeanor on the practice field and meetings, and his work ethic," Mora said. "He's a guy that is one of our hardest workers. He's here and committed in the off-season. He's a leader on the field during practice. They know he's in the boat with them. He's not a Prima Donna that is playing the quarterback position and doing things that doesn't relate to the team."

Even so, Vick said he does have personal goals that might not be attainable this season â€” or in future years â€” because of his role and effectiveness in the team's version of the West Coast offense.

"The only stat that counts is to win the game but still, I don't want my stats to look bad or not be up to par," Vick said. "I set a high standard for myself. My goal this year was to try to throw for 3,500 yards, at least 3,000. A couple years ago I fell [64] yards short of 3,000 yards passing. The last two years, it's been a little different.

"Last year I started out in new offense so I kind of expected things not to go well. This year I was expecting a lot out of myself and it seems like I'm not pace to do what I set my goals out to do."

"We've got to throw the ball 30, 40 times a game to reach those types of numbers," Vick said. "Our run game is so good. I won't say it's hurting me and I won't complain because it's a lot easier and it takes a lot of pressure off me."

Vick's remarks came after he completed 11-of-26 passes for 116 yards and threw three interceptions for a quarterback rating of 16.3 in Monday night's 27-14 victory over the New York Jets. Vick, who ran for two touchdowns, said he was to blame for the shortcomings in the passing game.

Vick did not say he would prefer to play in a different system, especially since the Falcons have posted a 17-8 record and an NFC championship game berth since offensive coordinator Greg Knapp implemented the run-dominant scheme upon arrival with head coach Jim Mora before the 2004 season. The ultra-versatile Vick, the team's second-leading rusher (302 yards) is a key factor in the running game.

"We run the football, whether it's with T.J. Duckett, Warrick or me, that's what makes our game go," Vick said. "If that's the way it's going to be, as long as we keep winning and as long as I make my plays when I have to, things are all good."

Knapp said Vick is like any quarterback when it comes to wanting to throw the ball and that he's seen Vick progress in the system - even in his poor showing Monday night.

"If you ask a quarterback if you should pass more, he'll say, 'Yeah,' " Knapp said. "But he always comes back to, 'I don't care if we win.' "

As for Vick's more recent performance, Knapp said, "He's had worse-graded games this year and better stats. He made great decisions, he improved his footwork, he went to check downs more often and those are signs of growth in this offense."

Knapp said Vick might not ever have a high completion percentage in this system because of the insistence of throwing a ball away instead of forcing a mistake. Vick's completion percentage is 52.4 percent, down from a career-best 56.4 percent last season.

Vick said the passing game and his production throwing the ball could improve if the Falcons periodically ran their two-minute offense other than at the end of halves. Knapp said that could be a possibility, but he would prefer not to venture off the current path.

"It gets you into a rhythm as a quarterback," Vick said.

Vick said his sprained right knee, which sidelined him for Atlanta's 31-28 loss to New England Oct. 9, is not totally healed but the bye this weekend should allow him to be close to full strength for the Nov. 6 game at Miami. Vick said he's tried to restrain himself from running as much because of his knee, but because of his potential to bust a big gain, staying put in the pocket could always be a struggle, he said._________________It's time!

I don't expect the Falcons to change their schemes. Pound the ball until your hearts are content. If the Falcons can win running the ball 30-40 times, then by all means keep it going. But what I want to see over these next few weeks is to see them have greater success throwing the ball.

The running game is not always going to work, and it's rare that you can pummel a team on the ground after the first round of hte playoffs. We need to have a reliable passing game that can pick up the slack for if our running game slows and it probably will if we meet Philly or Tampa Bay in the playoffs.

But the problem with that is that in order to improve in the passing game, the Falcons are going to have to do more of it.

It's a bit of a Catch-22. You run the ball now, and you win. But you probably hurt yourself a bit more in the long-term. You start throwing the ball now, you probably hurt yourself a lot in the short-term, and truth be told there is no guarantee that it is ever going to reach a point where you are truly comfortable throwing the ball 30 or 35 times a game and moving the offense. When you look at it that way, I think you can sorta understand the coaching staff's reluctance to start going to the air too much.

I think the best opportunities is like ones vs. the Jets, where the Falcons got out to a big lead early. The Falcons ran the ball 13 times vs. passed 12 times in the 2nd half before their final possession that was them trying to run out the clock. I think that was pretty effective play-calling by Knapp. Not getting too conservative with a 20-7 halftime lead. Those situations where we are up early, would normally cause many coaches to get conservative. But we still managed to keep it at 50-50 despite Dunn having 117 yards in the 1st half, and even if you discount the 65-yard run, he was still averaging 4 yards per carry.

I would really like to see more no-huddle drives with Vick calling the play at the line. We have a young team that can handle the constant drive. I do think it would help Vick as a passer to as he put it get into a rythm.

It's a bit of a Catch-22. You run the ball now, and you win. But you probably hurt yourself a bit more in the long-term. You start throwing the ball now, you probably hurt yourself a lot in the short-term, and truth be told there is no guarantee that it is ever going to reach a point where you are truly comfortable throwing the ball 30 or 35 times a game and moving the offense

i think the underlying concern about Vick and his passing on this board that nobody is coming out and saying is our concern over what happens when we get to the playoffs. If Vick thinks he is better than 90% of the QBs in this league TODAY then i think he is sadly mistaken.we've got to be able to throw for 200 yards on Philly come playoff time. that's why I think everyone is freaking out after the last few games.

That is what I have been thinking all along that the playoffs are a totally different animal.The Falcon's may get through one round but sooner or later they are going to face defenses that are fast and will shutdown the running game.If you have no passing game then the falcon's are dead.All these reports we read about well lets just run it and run it without thinking the long term team goals is plain stupid. Maybe they know there is a problem but down play.I would just like to see some progress instead of vick looking like he has never been in this offense before.

On another thread pudge mentioned working on the passing game when we had a lead over the jets that was comfortable,I was thinking that also.Why not try to get some passes in and get the passing attack going in game conditions.The Falcon's did throw some but also ran alot to control the clock.That is poor management since your up by a big score but are not working on your weaknesses.

i think the underlying concern about Vick and his passing on this board that nobody is coming out and saying is our concern over what happens when we get to the playoffs. If Vick thinks he is better than 90% of the QBs in this league TODAY then i think he is sadly mistaken.we've got to be able to throw for 200 yards on Philly come playoff time. that's why I think everyone is freaking out after the last few games.

He's got to throw just as well as he did on Monday Night against the Eagles, as we won that game IIRC. Don't even bring me that Trotter mess as we shut down the best MLB in the league in the Jets' Vilma.

"Everybody knows I've got great talents and gifts and can do things 90 percent of the guys in the league can't do,"

No where does he compare himself with the leagues other QBs.

well maybe that's part of his problem. just my humble opinion, however i think we'd all be better off if Vick compared himself to the other QBs in the league, not the REST of the league. after all it is the position he plays.

i think the underlying concern about Vick and his passing on this board that nobody is coming out and saying is our concern over what happens when we get to the playoffs. If Vick thinks he is better than 90% of the QBs in this league TODAY then i think he is sadly mistaken.we've got to be able to throw for 200 yards on Philly come playoff time. that's why I think everyone is freaking out after the last few games.

He's got to throw just as well as he did on Monday Night against the Eagles, as we won that game IIRC. Don't even bring me that Trotter mess as we shut down the best MLB in the league in the Jets' Vilma.

we can't rely on the D to shut down the Iggles like that again either.

i think the underlying concern about Vick and his passing on this board that nobody is coming out and saying is our concern over what happens when we get to the playoffs. If Vick thinks he is better than 90% of the QBs in this league TODAY then i think he is sadly mistaken.we've got to be able to throw for 200 yards on Philly come playoff time. that's why I think everyone is freaking out after the last few games.

He's got to throw just as well as he did on Monday Night against the Eagles, as we won that game IIRC. Don't even bring me that Trotter mess as we shut down the best MLB in the league in the Jets' Vilma.

we can't rely on the D to shut down the Iggles like that again either.

I don't see why not. They can't run the ball unless wse're in a Dime formation and we have the best pass rush & one of the best corners in the league. I really don't think that Monday Night game was a fluke, I think it was a statement.

our entire team is going to have to play better if we want to win any sort of championship....our entire team has been the problem at one point or another...on offense our o-line is inconsistant (pass blocking), our rb's miss blitz pickups, our wr's drop passes or can't get open, when the wr's do get open Vick throws off the mark, Dunn is the only consistant part of our offense...on defense the only thing that is consistant is Rod Coleman, Kerney disappears sometimes, we have three wlb's playing lb, D Hall is our best corner and even he blows coverages sometimes.

The point is that there are a lot of things that need fixing. The blame doesn't lie on just one man's shoulders. Every team in the NFL is going through this right now. The only team that is playing good football every week is Ind. and even they are sputtering at times. Good teams find their mistakes and thier weaknesses and fix them, if we are a good team then that's what we are going to do. I think we have the talent on this team to be more than good this year, the question is will we be ready come January, because you can be sure there won't be any gimme's like NYJ or NO in the playoffs.

I get upset and question the Falcons just like everyone else. We have a right to question because there are a lot of things that are questionable about our team. I just hope that through all of the debates and arguments that will arise between people here that we can remember we are all rooting for the same team, and we all want to win.

As a fan I just have to have faith that the coaches, who get paid a lot of money, notice the same things that this casual fan notices. I have faith that they do and will make the appropriate changes. All any of us can do is just sit back and hope it works out for the best.

Don't even bring me that Trotter mess as we shut down the best MLB in the league in the Jets' Vilma.

Well truth be told, whenever we've faced Trotter, he has shut down this offense. I can't explain it, but when Jeremiah Trotter and Jim Johnson get together, for some reason they are nearly golden.

I can't understand how you are sleeping on the Eagles Run D and Trotter when they shut down LT. Maybe "shut down" is not the appropriate term. They duct taped his hands and ankles, tied him up, gagged him, threw him in the trunk of their car, filled the backseat with cement, and sent it over a bridge into a river, then went to his momma's house, tied her up and put her in the closet, ate all the food in the kitchen, and then went home.

The dilemma with Philly vs. Atlanta is the simple following statement:

Our defense cannot stop the pass. Philadelphia is pass-happy and the execute it as well as any other team in the NFL. On the flipside the Iggles have a sturdy defense that can shut you down if you can't show effectiveness with balance.

We won't beat the Iggles in the big games until we either A) figure out how to pass, B) get a shutdown pass defense.

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